Andi Cunard

Something I’ve wrestled with quite frequently as I’ve grown in my faith is how to spread God’s word. As a Christian, I feel as though I must advertise the Christianity I have come to know and love, but it isn’t always easy for me. I’ve only recently come to know Jesus, and before that I was intimidated by Christians and their religion. It seemed as though Christianity was constantly being pushed onto people unwillingly, and I had experienced this myself. Surely I couldn’t keep track of all the rules, be good and do good all the time, and I certainly didn’t know all of the ins and outs of the Bible. That’s all I was ever shown of Christianity. It scared me, and I accepted that it simply was not for me.

During my freshman year of college, I finally allowed myself to set these fears and doubts aside, and slowly take in everything Jesus had to offer. I felt again the pressures and the demands of knowing and obeying endless rules, but I pushed through, searching for something deeper and more meaningful. And I found it as I accepted Jesus and began my journey as a Christian.

I have learned that growing up outside of church means I have a completely different perspective on Christianity and God. I know God simply for the goodness that He is, not for the rules, and I know Christianity simply for the love that it encompasses, not for the threats of not being good enough. And that’s what I want others to know. I have this little devotional book called Chasing the Light written by Dave Adamson, a pastor and photographer who seamlessly combines stunning photographs with meaningful scripture. One of my favorite excerpts sums up exactly how I feel: “We can’t produce faith in our family and friends. We can’t make people believe. What we can do is create the best possible environment in which faith can grow. We need to love the people around us.”

I think Dave hits the nail on the head. Christianity is about the love shown to others, which is a reflection of the love you receive from God. People pay attention to the way you treat others, and will draw near to you when they witness how faithfully you serve others. A transitioned life is the best way to show all of the good that God is and all of the good He is capable of. You are not capable of creating a faith in someone who doesn’t have it and you shouldn’t try to, but do have the power to display yours through living like Jesus and glorifying God.

Once I came to this conclusion, I asked myself a follow-up question: how do I live like Jesus when I am not anywhere close to perfect, and how can I ever glorify God? I assumed that great acts of selflessness or life-changing improvements were the best ways to do so, but I never felt like I could fully do either one. I felt like I was disappointing God, and that I was falling short of my duty to glorify Him and show others how to live a life walking beside Him. Fortunately, my devotional book came to the rescue once again. Dave Adamson wrote “But rather than your life being one single light shining the way to God, what if it’s actually a string of smaller lights —- with every action, word, and decision building on the other until your life is like a jar of lights? It still shines brightly and it still leads people to God…one word, one step at a time.”

After reading this, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. There wasn’t a huge event to create or wait for to display God’s love; I could showcase it in every aspect of life! My reactions to events, the way I speak, every choice of mine has the potential to show love to others, and ultimately love for God Himself.

These two conclusions were the “something deeper and more meaningful” I was searching for: learning, knowing, and advertising Christianity through simply loving others, and loving others through every day words, actions, and decisions. That little realization has played such a huge role in my life, as I try to embrace it as best I can every day. I hope that by sharing it with others, I may inspire some who were once afraid to now pursue or renew their faith, and some who already have their faith to grow and adjust the way they show God to the world.